The Rescue Plane

** 7 P.M, July 7 **

Just few hours more and i'll be with her, celebrating her 23rd birthday. I was waiting for this day so long. Not only because, it was my girlfriend's birthday, but more importantly, it was her first birthday after getting the job she always dreamt of. We had been in a long distance relationship for almost 4 years, and amidst all ups and downs, we held it pretty good. She is destined to have more happiness than ever and, what better gift it could have been to pay a surprise visit on her birthday. It was already 7 pm on clock and i was stuck at my work. I had a flight at 9, almost two hours' journey and then about half an hour through cab to her residence. I wished everything to be just on time. Anyhow, I was just able to convince my boss, left the office, and hurried to airport. 

Bam!!! that plethora of traffic, lucky that I managed to be at airport by 8 pm. Seemed like, the universe wanted me to be with her, or at least i thought so, that's so characteristically optimistic of me. Boarding pass, security check, luggage and blah blah blah, but all I was thinking was about her reaction. I boarded the plane.

** 9 P.M, July 7, In Flight **

Plane took off and I was admiring the city from that height. It looked beautiful and suddenly it started to grow a little dark. There were clouds. I thought they might be a little, as per the weather forecast everything was supposed to be okay. But no, it grew darker and darker. We were in all darkness and the plane suddenly faced some turbulence, once, then again. There was panic spreading, and probably the flight crew were well aware of that. They made an announcement about the situations, "It's unexpectedly cloudy, and we have some turbulence, but all the passengers are advised to remain seated and fasten their seat belts. We are trying our best to overcome the situation. You all are safe, there is no need to panic." But, there was. I knew it. I have traveled multiple times through planes, but never saw something like this. Suddenly, there was a lighting strike, right next to plane and that was definitely horrifying. I heard some voices, some shouting, some praying, some saying something. Crew was trying to get them to seats and somehow calm them. And I was asking myself, "Will I be able to see her for one last time?". 

The plane had lost all connections from control room and the instruments stopped working, the pilots too didn't know what to do. They were just trying their best to save plane from crashing right in middle. Out of nowhere, some lights appeared. Is it some airport light? That was series of lights. That gave a sudden rise in hopes and pilots decided to go towards that light, just in hope that they might make an emergency landing. But, the light started getting closer and closer. No, they were certainly not some airport lights. OMG!!! that was another plane. The sparking blue luminous lights. 

While people were as afraid as earlier or maybe more, yeah me too, I was no brave hearts either, I saw that series of lights coming almost parallel to our flight. Before I could even think or analyse about it, there was another announcement. "Passengers, this is your captain, We have a good news that we have a rescue plane here for our help. They are going to guide us, and I want all of you to relax now. We are safe now. Relax, Ladies and Gentleman, The prayers paid off." 

Meanwhile, in cockpit, the situation was a bit too different than described. None of the instruments were working, and out of thin air, they received some signal on the microphone which said "We know you are in trouble, we are here to save you, please follow us, and don't be afraid. We have done it multiple times. You are in safe hands. We will guide you out of clouds." The pilots had no choice, but they were shocked, shaken to depth, as how did that microphone work first of all and what kind of plane is it? They discussed, kept their calm and decided to take a chance, as they knew that they have no chance to survive this huge chunk of clouds and lightning strikes. "Copy that, we are following you". That was just a gamble, but they had to take the chance. And then the "Mystery plane" or say "Rescue plane" started leading the plane, guiding it.

Whenever, I used to feel scared, usually I went into pin drop silence, I never knew why. But, today was something different, because there are no blue lights on a plane, never. But, the optimistic me said that probably today is something different, how often there is something like this is heard of, seriously a "rescue plane" to rescue another plane? If I survive today, I am going to propose her, and if I don't, then i'll stop thinking such crap because then it won't matter. "Ugghh, how do I always manage to crack stupid jokes?"

Few minutes later, we were out of clouds, and mysteriously "The rescue plane" was nowhere. We were probably safe, but what in the name of God was that plane? "A hero? Superman's plane? Really, how could I come up with such names in such situation." I thanked God for whatever it was, but we all survived. The plane landed safely at 11 pm. 

** 12 A.M, July 8 **
I was outside her residence, I called her to come out. Her shell shocked version could not believe it, mostly because I said that I'll be very busy in an important meeting at this time and I couldn't even call her at this time. Of course, I lied. I had brought her favorite sea shells collection, her favorite dress, and myself on knees with a ring in my hands. "Will you give me a gift on your birthday please? Will you marry me?".

"Yes", she said with tears in her eyes, probably of happiness, or love, yeah love.

** 11 P.M., July 7, Airport **
The pilots were terrified and relaxed at same time. They just raced ahead of a certain tragic crash. They had witnessed more than any of the passengers did. They rushed to the control room to inquire about the rescue plane. The records said that there was no such plane on radar. 

Only there was a plane crash which killed all the passengers, years ago.

I'll Write

That night when I stared into the sky, there were many stars, shining, some glowing and some twinkling with little less of glow. What a diverse world, a huge huge huge space out there it is, and how significant is the part that is visible to us. Forget even that, even the part that we are able to see, there are countless number of stars in it. But, that's not the point. The point is, even those stars are huge in real. They burn too and glow like anyone else. They live their own life, they burn in their own due course of time. Maybe, other stars are bigger, maybe they have more impact on universe than some other star, but still they are not the same.

I always liked writing, it was my passion. In my school time, I always tried to play with the lyrics of songs, in hope of creating something of my own. Sometimes. I used to predict what next line of that song will be, just to check how good am I at rhyming. That was my first exposure to this world. I am not the best, nor I was. But, I know one thing that I like it. Give me some free time, and all I'll come up with, are some lines, some poetic, some just plain simple lines trying to encapsulate my pain. This is what that gives me pleasure. Whenever I departed from a phase of my life, I took some fragments of those memories with me. That increased the weight on my back though, but they gave me moments and inspirations to write. 

When I was 17, I wrote a song, that was my first song. I tried to give some music to it, I couldn't, because I was not putting the feelings into it. I was late to understand the game of emotions, but with continuous trials, one day when I found myself really in the place, I found one of the missing parts of that jigsaw puzzle, it's a feeling that takes birth right from the shallowest of corners of heart, it never comes out of your mind, never. 

Almost three and half years later, one morning, I just woke up to admire the beauty of rising sun. That was indeed a new rise in my life, I'll say. I wrote something random about morning. Few minutes later, I felt more words running down my mind, I wrote another one, and one more to follow. That evening, I then pushed myself to write about evening and night. However, those didn't turn out that good. Probably, I was pushing myself a bit too hard, and I forgot that it comes out of heart, and not mind, never. Few days later, I wrote some 3-4 poems for friends on eve of friendship day. I just felt good, and i hope they did too.

One good day, a friend of mine suggested me to start writing blogs and post the poems and articles there. Yes people, it's this place. I started to write, but that was very discontinuous. I used to write over long intervals. But, I never hurried myself into it, because I wanted to come it straight out of heart, when it feels like writing and expressing. Almost, another 2 years later, I made my first attempt to write a Hindi poem, and as per usual routine, I sent the link to everyone to read it.

As they say, time and tide take unexpected turns, it did for me too. With my fellow classmates putting their time and effort in some very catchy technical work or even in doing some heart warming social work, I was wondering, whether am I putting my time in correct place? People going for start-up business, earning money out of it, and then there I was sending links to people and requesting them to read and give the review. I mean that was pretty tidy work, especially considering that for other people, their work spoke for themselves and there was no need for them to request people and bug others, like I used to do. I decided to be with my writing that day. I am putting my pen to a stop.

Next morning, I received a call from my father about my poem. He liked that. My first attempt at a Hindi poem, and my dad praises me. He even asked me to gift him a poem for his 55th birthday. What could have been a better turn of tide than this for me? That made me really rethink about my decision of putting my pen and passion down.

There is one message that I want to give, though I am not that great person to do so, but people, do what you are passionate for, every one is special in their own way. I just hope that one day i'll do more justice to the faith put in me by my dad and by my pen. Why to see other stars and wonder about their glow, and why not just write our own fate?

I am still writing, and I'll, irrespective of whether it is profitable or popular, because this is my passion. Just like everyone else is following their passion, I'll follow the path that I want to go on.
I'll write.

पिता

जो इस दुनिया में नया जीवन स्वरूप ले हम आये
कहा हमको भगवान का रूप ले नन्ही जान हैं आये
पर उस नन्हे को मिले भगवान के साये
जो मात-पिता कहलाये।

सबने कहा कितना बड़ा दिल माँ का
सुकून देती हमें सारे जहाँ का
इस भाँति कहीं जिक्र न पाया आपका
महत्व एक संतान समझती है फिर भी पिता का
एक ढाल के जैसे हर संकट से बचाना वो एक पिता का
या हो हर वक़्त चलना थाम कर हमारे हाथ का।

यादों के शहर के सड़को पर वापस जाते हैं
तो ढलती शाम में, आपकी राह तकते खुद को पाते हैं।
वक़्त हो चला आफिस से आने का, पापा आते होंगे
शायद मेरे लिए खिलोने और मिठाइयाँ लाते होंगे।
नादानी में न जाने कितनी बार दिल दुखाया
पर अडिग उस पिता को हमेशा पास पाया।
उन खामोशियों क पीछे जाने कितनी कहानियां थी,
शायद हम जान नहीं पाये,वो क्या वीरानियाँ थी।

वक़्त वो भी था जब हमारे लिए, लिए कुछ कठोर कदम,
थोड़े दूर तो थे, पर फिर भी पास थे हम।
खुद की खुशियों को मानो, न्योछावर कर दिया,
एक पिता से पूछो, संतान के लिए उसने क्या क्या किया।
एक पिता ही कर सकता है इतना सब,
संग लिए मुस्कान की वो सबब।
पल भर एहसास न होने दिया अपनी तकलीफ का ,
आज आपसे सीख रहा हूँ, पाठ तहज़ीब का।
एक दिन जब उसी मुकाम पर हम आएंगे,
तब बारीकी से वो लम्हे जान पाएंगे ,
पर तब तक सदा आपके गुण गाएँगे।

इस अवसर पर आपके लिए तोहफा सोचना मुश्किल है,
आपके प्यार से भरी अंतर्मन की ये महफ़िल है।
बयां लफ्जों में न कर सकें,जो आपने दिया उम्र भर
वो बेइन्तहां खुशियां, और प्यार जी भर कर।
आपके सारे सपने पूरा करूँगा मैं ,
पिता मिला मुझे आप जैसा, प्रभु का शुक्र गुजार रहूँगा मैं।